Cabinet latch



' A. CLAUD-MANTLE.

CABINET LAcH. APPLICATION FILED APR. 2, 192|.

L'gvg Patented De@e ,5,1921

Emmi@ Wa, im Le ieirtjlhirl" FFlti-l.

ARTHUR CLAUD-MANTLE yOF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO Til-IE BASSICK COMPANY, OF BBXDGEPCRT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPCRATON OF CONNECTICUT.

foaernnr Laren.k

Application led April/2.1921. Serial No. 458,153.

To @ZZ/whom tmai/ concern.' 7 i rnc, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Bridgeport, in the county yof Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful improve-y ments in Cabinet Latches; and 'I do declare the following to be a fulh clear, an'djeXact description of the inventionysuch as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

'.llhis invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in cabinet latches, and the primary object thereof is to provide a latch which is formed to simplify and facilitate the shipment and which hasjbut few'L parts, and which may be@ constructed so as to provide a two-part knockdown latch in which the parts can ber easily and quickly assembled r-in operative relation.

A still `further object of the invention is to i provide. a latch wherein same can ybe operatedr with equal conditions whether the keeper be placed above or below the latch CJD proper7 and also regardless of whether the door of the cabinet is to the right or the left of the keeper.

In the drawings: l n Figure 1, is a` rear elevation of the invention; y

Figure 2, is a section of line' 2-2 of F igure 1, and

Figure 3, is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

ln proceeding in accordance with the present invention, a hollow casing 1,-is"employed which preferably has an open back as shown which may be Secured to a door D by screws 2. The latch proper has a nose 3" for 'engagement with a suitable keeper 4;, which. nose extends through an opening in a side 10 of the casing. The rear or inner end of the latch member 8 is formed with upper and. lower arms 5, the outer sides of which are formed with rocking points or terminals f6 that `contact with the opposite side wall 11 of the casing, while the inner sides of the arms have lugs i' which are rer-- ceived within one end of a pair of coil springs 8. The opposite ends ofthe coil springs are engaged over lugs 9 that are struck out ,from the side wall 11 of the casing. Preferably a guiding tongue 13 is formed on the latch member 3 and extends between the arms 6 and guidingly engages `in a slot 14 provided therefor in the side Be it known that I, ARTHUR @Lann-MAN operating member 17. The operating member 17 has a handle 18 which `extends through a slot 28 in the side wall 11 of the casing and is pivoted to a screw 19., which latter engages the front wall of the casing '1 and assists injsecuring ythe latter to the door.y The latch member has an opening 20 yin `which screw 19 is received to allow of vertical'movements` thereof. i

It will be 'therefore observed from the foregoing that by moving the lhandle 18 of the member 17 downwardly the bifurcated end 16 of thememher 17 will engage the finger 15 and press upwardly thereon, cans# ying the upper terminals or'point 16 of the latch member to engage Side wall 11 ofthe casing and rock thereon to thereby move the `nose l3- upwardly out of engagement with the keeper.

Similarly reverse movement of the lhandle will effect reverse movement of the parts just described, the lower terminal or point in this instance engaging the casing wall 11 so that the latch member rocks about this lower terminal.

` From the foregoing it will therefore ybe seen that the latch terminates at its inner extremity in a rocker plate which has two spaced point of contact with the casing, and this rocking is rendered resilient by means of the two springs which are confined between the casing and the rocking contacts. so that the latch member is balanced and can rock in either direction so as to engage the keeper from a point below or above, or so that yit can be applied and operated whether the cabinet door is at the right or at the left of the keeper.

Further, in shipping, the bodies of the latch-being flat can be packed in. ordinary cartons9 while the handles can be instantly moved into and outl of the slots 23 in the` casing, following withdrawal of the screws 19 and can be shipped in bulli packages. To f machine screw may be used` or the member 1T may be pivoted to the casing in any suitable manner, and therefore the opening 2O is not necessary unless a long screw similar to that shown is used.

/Vhat is claimed is:

l. In a latch, a casing, a latch member therein having upper and lower points formed to rockingly engage the casing, a

pair of springs one for each point for nor.

mally holding the lat-ter engaged with the casing, an operating handle member pivoted to the casing, and a connection between said members whereby the movements of the handle in reverse directions will effect the rocking of the latch member.

2. In a latch, a casing, a latch member therein having two spaced rocking points, a pair of springs one for each point,f.and a handle member pivoted to the casing, said members being interconnected whereby the rocking of the latch member will be ei'ected by the reciprocation of the handle member.

3. In a lat-ch, a structure including a substantially flat casing, a spring tensioned rocking latch member therein 'formed to engage the casing and rock thereon, a handle insertible in and removable from the casing, and meansA for detachably pivoting said handle to a stationary part.

a. In a latch, a casing, a latch member therein having upper and lower points formed to rockingly engage the casing, a

pair of Springs one for each point :tor normally holding the Alatter engaged with the casing, an operating member having a hanelle, means for pivoting said operating member to` the casing, the latch member having a struck-out linger and the operating meinber having a bifurcated end to receive the nger.

5. In a latch, a casing, a latch member therein having upper and lower points formed to rockingly engage the'casing, a pair of springs one for each point for normally holding the latter engaged withthe casingfan operating member having handle, and means for pivoting the operating member to the casing, said members being operatively assembled and the casing having a slot through which a tongue extends from the latching member.

6. In a latch, a casing, a Spring tensioned rocking member therein having two diamet-rically opposite points 'formed to engage the casing and rock thereon, a inger borne by the member, an operating member having a bi'fnrcated end to receive the finger, and a pivot :tor the operating member whereby upon withdrawal of the pivot the operating member may be withdrawn from engagement with the casing.

In testimony whereof I atl-"ix my signature hereto.

ARTHUR CLAUDjMANTLE. 

